Christmas Tree Layout Technical Issues

[IDM1991]

Thank you. If only tinplate track grew on trees...  I have the track laid on O Scale foam railbed, which puts it out of contact with the berber carpet.  Good idea?

[martinden]

In this case, 042 is the catalog number of the pair of switches, and has nothing to do with the diameter, which is O-31. (But Lionel has also made for years O-27 profile switches with the wider O-42 curve, which constantly causes confusion.)

[ADCX Rob]

 

nickaix

Re: question 3:

It's tougher when your turnouts don't match the radius of your curves...

He has 042 switches, not O-42.  They are 14.14" radius, or regular O-31 O Gauge.

 

nickaix

...Don't forget that there is a height difference between O-31 and O-42 track...

O-42 track has been made in both "O" & "O-27" profiles, by Lionel & K-Line, & K-Line made O-42 switches in both profiles too.

Rob

 

[IDM1991]

"It's tougher when your turnouts don't match the radius of your curves."

I have never actually measured the radius, but the turnouts are those of the variety with the red hand-thrown levers.  They came in a pristine original box and are labled as "O-42."  Perhaps I could just incorporate one turnout and a long siding with an illuminated bumper on the end.  In many ways, these "switches" serve to anchor the track with their weight and keep it from shifting tectonically.

[nickaix]

Re: question 3:

It's tougher when your turnouts don't match the radius of your curves. The most you can do right now is an oval with two spur tracks. Add two O42 curves, and you can do a passing siding (though you may have to fudge or cut a straight section to make it work.)  Add two O-31 turnouts instead, and you can have a reversing loop in the oval, so that your trains can operate "point -to-point", i.e., pulling out of a spur, running around the oval (as many times as you like), though the reversing loop, and pulling back into the same spur at the end of the "run". (Granted, this is somewhat limited by the fact that to begin the next run, you must back out of the spur and into the loop.) In fact, many very large model railroads operate on this basic principle.

Don't forget that there is a height difference between O-31 and O-42 track. You may have to shim up your turnouts.

The "All Gauge Page" has a number of track plans for interesting, smaller O and O-27 layouts.

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/46dex1.html

[Texas Pete]

IDM1991

1)  What is a cheap, yet safe way to bind tinplate track together at its joining points?  I have no time to purchase track clips, and I recall reading in CTT about the use of elastic bands.  Would this latter method work?

 

For O-31 type tubular track I use widely available black nylon zip ties through the inverted "U" of the ties on the ends of the joined track sections.

Pete

[fifedog]

IDM - Check out your local craft/fabric stores for replacement jewels.  If you can make it to a train show or two, there is usually a parts vendor who carries the real deal.

[servoguy]

 Ian, I posted a technique that I use to keep track together and make a good connection.  I bend the center rail to one side so that the pins have to make a good connection.  I recently put together a large carpet RR using this technique, and used only a few feeds.  You can only bend the end of the fat center rail on the switches.  The track stays together and it goes together much quicker than trying to slightly close the open ends of all the track sections.  It also comes apart easily. 

[IDM1991]

1)  What is a cheap, yet safe way to bind tinplate track together at its joining points?  I have no time to purchase track clips, and I recall reading in CTT about the use of elastic bands.  Would this latter method work?

2)  A "railway mishap" involving our #675 steam locomotive a few years ago knocked off one of the green classification lights situated in front of the locomotive's chimney.  Are there modern replacements available?  It has not caused any technical issues, but it is not especially aesthetic.  Our 675 is in relatively good condition (a few minor scratches and some chipping paint), and it is not as though I am playing with VISION locomotive.

3)  The current track plan involves ten O-31 curves, seventeen straights, and two O-42 turnouts.  Is it possible to do a "realistic" operating session with such an arrangement?  I will allow for the 675 and the 622 locomotives to draw a train consisting of Lionel's CNR and ONR ore hoppers released almost ten years ago (oh, how politically incorrect!).

Greetings from the Dominion to the North!

Ian D. McKechnie